Tuesday, October 2, 2012

A WWII Veteran Needs Our Help!

I know this is a blog about food and entertaining but when I learned of this unfortunate situation I knew I had to mobilize my resources and help a family in urgent need.

As you all know by now, social media is instrumental in promoting a blogger's work and not only does Lindaraxa have a Twitter account, but so does my sous chef @lucywestie. Behind all the pets on Twitter are real human beings, many of whom I have met in person and become good friends. Others are in faraway places from the Orkney Islands to Australia but never more than a tweet away. We have shared many good times together but have also been there to support those who needed it. All in 140 characters.

One of the most popular "anipals" , and perhaps the funniest of them all, is a Bichon by the name of @missbusybiz. Her mother and the real voice behind "Missy" is Francy Saunders, a professional senior care giver and a friend of Lindaraxa since the beginning. I found out today that Francy and her family have lost their home and are in the process of packing their belongings and trying to find a home that will keep them all together. This process is specially hard as Francy's husband is in the final stages of advanced Alzheimer's. George, a World War II veteran, frequently cannot even remember how to walk,
leaving him bed-bound and helpless, as his mind drifts in and out of
reality. His only constant is Francy and the dogs, Missy and Kirby. This, of course, leaves Francy drained
emotionally and physically from lifting him but you would never guess it from her tweets. Twitter and the character of @missbusybiz are her only outlet after a long day of caring for George. How she does it, I don't know.

Francie and her dogs Missy (front) and Kirby

Doctors have told Francy moving house is possibly critically
dangerous for George because of the stress he will go thru, which will
spike his already severe Alzheimers, but sadly the situation is out of her hands. Foreclosure papers have already been sent. He cannot be placed in care because they cannot afford
to pay for it. Francy is well known for her blog: Senior Care Tips For Family but even she didn’t see this coming. Francy also tweets under @SeniorCareTips and @WritersThatChat.

I have not been on Twitter much lately but had noticed that Missy was noticeably absent from my stream. I understand from friends that she has been quite stoic about the situation claiming she was just tired when asked what was wrong. For a long time, the family has been living on the bare minimum from George's military pension as Francy had to quit her job to take care of him. A few months ago when their electric bill was about to be cut off, her friends on Twitter got together and paid it. They have sent her food, clothes and one even pays for the dog food every month. That is how dire the situation is.

A friend of Francy is helping to move her and has offered to pay her first and last month's rent. She needs a place that will take in her family including her pets. Twitter pals have organized themselves to give her a virtual party on Twitter this Wednesday to lift her spirits. They have also set up a ChipIn box should you care to help. It will be really appreciated, at least to get them settled in. But folks, this family needs more than a few dollars. They need to be able to stay in their home with no worries. I cannot believe that in this country a World War II veteran in the final stages of Alzheimer's can be displaced from his home.

More than anything, I am asking for help in passing the story along, especially to the right sources. Any help or suggestions you can give us that would help the family stay in their home would be most appreciated. The family lives south of Seattle, Washington.

I REALIZE THAT WE CANNOT HELP ALL THE MILLIONS WHO ARE UN EMPLOYED OR ABOUT TO LOSE THEIR HOME BUT WE CAN, AT LEAST, TRY TO HELP ONE.

I hope you are able to help this family. Unfortunately, it is hard to find a place that accepts animals. Veterans organizations do have emergency help, but it means using the phone to do the calling to ask for financial help. If they had a friend or someone from a veterans organization who could help out with that phone calling, it would help a lot. I forgot to write down that they should also contact their local congressman & senator. They have staffs that can help in a case like this. Don't know what else to suggest -- except maybe they could find a low cost rental mobile home in an rv park? If worse comes to worse, & they are on the street, then the husband would have to go by ambulance to the local VA hospital. Know that's not the best option, since they don't take pets, but if they are shut out of their home, that may be the only thing left. The boarder might have to be on their own & find another place. The pets could go temporarily to a friend or to a local shelter. Sure hate to see a veteran end up like this. Please keep us posted as to what happens.

I am an attorney and can offer the following suggestion: Your friend should very seriously consider filing for bankruptcy, as that would result in a STAY of the foreclosure proceedings. Bankruptcy is not the "stain" it once was, particularly in the wake of the ongoing financial crisis. Her credit rating is likely already irreparably damaged by being in default on the mortgage, so she really has nothing to lose. It could take (literally) years before she actually has to leave the home, during which time she and her husband could remain there with their dogs. if do not live in the area where they are located, but she should contact her local bar association and ask for a referral to a bankruptcy attorney. I urge her to at least look into this option.